1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a dispenser for a refrigerator enhancing the appearance of a door which determines the appearance of a refrigerator, reducing a thickness of the door for efficient spatial utilizations of the refrigerator, having an enhanced sanitary characteristic, and enhancing a user's convenience.
2. Background of the Invention
Generally, a refrigerator indicates an apparatus for storing food items in a frozen or cooled state, by using cool air generated as a refrigerant undergoes phase changes. Recently, the refrigerator is provided with various functions such as a home bar and a dispenser. This refrigerator serves as an apparatus for enhancing a user's convenience, not as a mere storage apparatus. According to the recent trend for a large size, a two-door refrigerator having side-by-side doors is being utilized.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing the appearance of a two-door refrigerator in accordance with the conventional art. Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional refrigerator comprises a body 1 having therein a plurality of drawers and trays for storing food items in a frozen or cooled state.
On a front surface of the body 1, doors 2 are outwardly rotatable so that right and left spaces of the refrigerator can be selectively closed. A home bar 3 and a dispenser 4 for a user's convenience are provided on a front surface of the doors.
The home bar 3 is provided at one side of the door, through which a user can dispense beverages or liquors without opening the door. This reduces the loss of cool air occurring when the door is open, resulting in reducing power consumption.
The dispenser 4 is provided at one side of the door, and a user can dispense water or ice without opening the door. The dispenser 4 includes a cavity 7 concaved toward the inside of the door so as to form a takeout space. A discharge opening 9a through which water or ice is dispensed, and a switch or a lever 8 for dispensing water or ice are provided in the cavity 7. Generally, the switch or lever 8 is operated in a backward-pushed manner upon contacting a cup or another vessel. A remaining water collecting box 9b is provided at a lower side of the cavity 7. When the remaining water collecting box 9b is filled with water, a user has only to draw out the remaining water collecting box 9b. This facilitates a cleaning operation.
A display panel 5 for displaying an operation state of the dispenser is provided on the dispenser, and a plurality of manipulation buttons 6 for manipulating the dispenser according to a use's intention.
However, the conventional refrigerator has the following problems. Firstly, since the cavity 7 is positioned at a central region of one door in a concaved shape, the entire appearance of the refrigerator is degraded. With the preference for a simple and neat appearance, the appearance of the cavity is not optimal.
Secondly, water dropping from the discharge opening splashes in water collected in the remaining water collecting box onto an inner surface of the cavity. Furthermore, water dropping from the discharge opening may contact an inner surface of the cavity. This may cause the propagation of germs and fur (scale), resulting in a degraded appearance. Besides, in order to clean the inner surface of the inward-concaved cavity, a cleaning tool or a user's hand has to be put into a narrow space. This may cause a cleaning operation to be difficult.
Thirdly, the dispenser 4 for a refrigerator has to be provided, on the door, with each type of mechanical device for dispensing water or ice, or each type of electronic device for display. In order to dispense both water and ice, the door has to have a wide thickness. This may reduce storage space inside the body of the refrigerator. As a result, the spatial efficiency may be lowered.
Fourthly, one discharge opening for dispensing water and ice is provided, or a water discharge opening and an ice discharge opening are separately provided in an undistinguished manner. This may cause a user to have difficulty in recognizing the desired opening, resulting in the user's inconvenience.